Night Terrors
by Ari Moriarty
Summary: Companion piece to "Dreamgirl."Nanako, Adachi, and the newly-reformed investigation team throw an eventful Halloween party, complete with tricks and with treats. Halloween fluff, derived from a series of freewrites.
1. Chapter One: Kid Stuff

**Author's Note: **Hello everyone! I've missed you all so much! It's been a…really long, grueling couple of months, but I think I've finally gotten my life back under control enough to go back to writing, and I have been intensely looking forward to it.

I figure, thought, that I'm kind of out of practice after a little absence, so I decided to do some freewriting to get back in the saddle. This piece is what came out of that. This story takes place in the same timeline/world as **Dreamgirl**, which I will be updating very soon!

Thanks for your patience, and I hope you enjoy what you read!

**Chapter One: Kid Stuff**

"Come on," begged Nanako, biting her lip. "Please? Don't you think it'll be fun?"

"How many times I gotta say it?" Adachi looked exasperated. "No way. Not a chance. What the hell makes you think this is a good idea? I mean, for one thing, there's no way your precious 'Big Bro' would be okay with it. Not…that I care, or anything, but it'd be a pain in the ass to get kicked out of the house. It'd be a complete waste of my damn time."

They'd been standing in a corner of the Velvet Room, arguing for much longer than Nanako had anticipated. She could feel Igor and Margaret's curious eyes on her, and it made her a little bit uncomfortable. They just…stared. They did a lot of staring. Out in the real world, that would be creepy. In here, it was…well, it was still a little creepy. She did her best to ignore them.

"You don't have anything else to do, right?" she asked.

"Tch," muttered Adachi. "That's not a reason."

"Yes," she insisted. "It is. Halloween's my favorite holiday!"

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" mumbled Adachi. "It's all kid stuff, Costumes, and candy, and making yourself sick as shit…"

"Right!" Nanako beamed. "It's fun. You remember, fun?" She paused for a moment, frowning. "Anyway," she added eventually, "what's the big difference between getting sick on candy and getting sick on sake? You and Dad used to get sick on sake together all the time."

For just a moment, Adachi started to smile. "Yeah, well…got me there." Then, just as Nanako was started to get her hopes up, he grimaced again and shook his head. "But no, the answer is still no way in hell. I am not going to some dumbass Halloween party. Anyway, I'm a convicted killer. I'm on the lamb. What part of that don't you get?"

"But," insisted Nanako, "you'll be safe because you'll be wearing a costume! No one will know who you are! So, you can't get caught. Right?"

"I hate costumes," snarled Adachi. "Shitty Halloween costumes always itch. Yeah, and I'm thirty seven years old. I'd just end up being a creepy old guy in a kid's outfit."

_You are, _reflected Nanako somewhat affectionately, _a pretty creepy old man already, Adachi-san. _She did, however, have the good grace not to say that out loud.

"And your brother and his dumbass friends would know who I am," continued Adachi. "And your Dad-!"

"Dad's gonna be at work all night." Nanako shrugged. "Lots of weird stuff happens on Halloween. He'll be at the station until morning; he always is. You'll be fine!"

"Jeez." Adachi shook his head, walked over to his seat next to Margaret, and slumped down into it. "No, okay? Just give up already. It's not happening. Look, even I've gotta have my pride."

Nanako frowned. She was running out of ideas. _Time to get aggressive, _she decided, crossing her arms over her chest and straightening her shoulders into her best imitation of her Dad in a really authoritative mood. "If you don't come to my party," she told him, "then I'll tell Igor and Margaret not to let you out of here for a whole week. Either you come out with me, or you don't come out at all. Got that?"

Adachi stared at her. Then he sneered. "What? That's not even…you can't do that. I'm not even a prisoner, here. I can go whenever the fuck I want. Igor and Margaret don't have to take orders from some high school kid."

Nanako glanced over at Margaret and Igor. It might have been her imagination, but she was pretty sure that she saw a smile in Igor's eyes. Margaret gave Adachi an unguardedly malicious look.

"She is offering you an opportunity to enjoy what I believe is referred to as 'quality time' in your own world," murmured Margaret, settling back more comfortably in her chair. "I would recommend that you accept that kind offer. Otherwise I must make the entirely logical assumption that you are no longer interested in venturing into the real world."

"But…it's not like you can stop me," muttered Adachi.

Margaret and Igor didn't say anything. They just exchanged one long, cryptic, knowing look, then turned their attention back to Nanako.

"Well?" asked Nanako, as sweetly as she could. "What do you think? Come on, it will be fun…I promise! I really, really, really want you to be there! Please?"

"Fuck," groaned Adachi. "Seriously? This is insane. Hey, quit looking at me like that. You're using the damn lost puppy eyes again."

Nanako continued to plead with her eyes. Adachi threw up his hands.

"Fine. Fine. Okay? Fine." He took a deep breath. "I…hate my life. I really do. Every single second of my shitty life…I hate it."

Nanako grinned at him, grabbing both of his hands. "You won't after the party!" she promised him. For all of her enthusiasm, Adachi didn't look even the least bit convinced.


	2. Chapter Two: Screwed

**Author's Note: **We'll be seeing the characters in their Halloween costumes pretty soon. Does anyone have any suggestions?

**Chapter Two: Screwed**

"Ow!" grunted Kanji, as Chie grabbed him by the shoulder and jerked him sideways. "Hey, watch it, senpai!"

"Don't be such a baby," murmured Chie around a mouth full of pins. She was in the process of enthusiastically winding a very long piece of bandage around Kanji's midsection, having already finished wrapping up both of his legs. "You'll thank me when we're done, okay? You're going to look great!"

Yukiko frowned critically at Chie's haphazard efforts to pin Kanji's bandage to his black t-shirt. "Hmm…maybe you should have been the mummy, Chie. Then Kanji could have been the one making your costume. He is very good with a pair of scissors."

"What?" Chie looked affronted. "Hey! Are you saying I'm not?"

"Mmpgh!" agreed Kanji from underneath the bandage that was now wrapped tightly across his mouth. Then he stumbled, teetered, and toppled forward, hitting the ground with a crash while bandages billowed out and unraveled all around him.

"And," murmured Yukiko, "you probably shouldn't have wrapped his legs together, Chie. It…is kind of hard to stand up that way. Here, let me help."

"Mmmgph!" shouted Kanji, as both girls began levering him back on to his feet.

"What are you wearing for Halloween, Yukiko?" asked Chie, as Yukiko took over the bandage wrapping.

Yukiko shrugged. "Well…I don't really know. I suppose I could wear the princess dress that I wore last year. I think it will probably still fit."

Chie shook her head emphatically. "No way, you dress up like a princess every year. This is Halloween! You're supposed to be something scary!"

For just a moment, Yukiko's face darkened slightly. "Princesses can be scary," she murmured. "I should know…"

Chie bit her lip. She opened her mouth, closed it again, frowned, and then began, "Hey, Yukiko…come on, you know I didn't mean-!"

Teddie, his arms full of plastic bat decorations, strode over to them, all smiles. "Yuki-chan…I know just what you should be for Halloween this year! You should be a mermaid. No, a bathing beauty!"

"H-huh?" Yukiko blinked. "A 'bathing beauty?' What's that?"

"You know." Teddie dumped the bats on the floor next to Chie. "Wear your bathing suit! I bet you'd have all the guys at the party going crazy for you!"

Yukiko turned bright red. "That's not a Halloween costume!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, and she'd get really cold," added Chie. "You can't wear a bathing suit in October, okay? That's just stupid."

For some reason, that made Yukiko even more embarrassed. "Ch-chie…that's not the point."

"Mmpgh!" announced Kanji, narrowing his eyes at Teddie and raising one half-bandaged fist.

"Kanji's right," agreed Yosuke from a few feet away, where he was in the process of holding up a big, black and white "Happy Halloween" sign while Yu painted the eyes on to a couple of the crudely-done ghosts. "You're sick, Ted. Not…that I'm really surprised or anything."

"Who, moi?" Teddie batted his eyelashes. "Are you saying that you don't want to see Yuki-chan in a swimsuit, Yosuke-senpai?"

Yosuke was temporarily at a loss for words. For just a moment, Yu looked as though he was trying to hide a smile.

"And," continued Teddie, lost in his own little world, "Maybe we can get Nao-chan to wear that cat costume that she wore for Halloween our first year, too! Kanji-kun, you'd like to see that again, wouldn't you?"

Kanji began struggling violently against his bandages, while his entire body reddened visibly.

"Th-that's enough of that," muttered Naoto, clearing her throat. "I don't even have that thing anymore. I threw it away. And I shredded it. It's in pieces. There's…it's not possible." She handed the rest of the ghost-shaped napkins she was holding to Rise, and straightened up. "I can only assume, Teddie, that you have already selected your own Halloween costume."

"Um…no, not yet." Teddie frowned. "There are just too many choices…there are whole aisles of them at Junes! I don't know what to choose…should I be manly, or cute, or…?" He trailed off, suddenly aware that everyone was staring at him. "Guys? What's up?"

"I'd be happy to help choose a Halloween costume for you, Teddie," murmured Yukiko, smiling in a slightly frightening way.

"Oh, yeah," agreed Chie. "Sure, that'd be great…you just leave it to us, we'll pick out something perfect for you."

Teddie whimpered as Chie and Yukiko each took him by one arm, and marched him out of the house. The others watched in silence as the door closed behind them, and then Yosuke wandered over to unwrap the bandages that were obscuring Kanji's face.

"Ack!" breathed Kanji, sucking in a huge gulp of air. "Whoa, seriously, and I say this from…very recent personal experience. Teddie is screwed, man."

Yu shrugged. "As usual," he remarked, "he brought it on himself."

Again, the door flew open, and this time, Nanako rushed in. "Hey everyone!" she called, beaming. "Oh, isn't Teddie here?"

Rise shook her head. "He just left. Um…he may be a while. Are you okay, Nanako-chan? You look excited!"

Nanako shook her head. "Oh, I'm fine," she insisted quickly. "I just need to talk to Teddie…I need him to come to Junes with me!"

"He's there now," Yu informed her.

Before any of them had a chance to say another word, Nanako nodded, flashed them one last grateful smile, turned on her heel and ran back out the door.

"What?" asked Kanji, startled. "Uh…that was weird."

Naoto and Rise began placing napkins and chopsticks out on the table again. "I can't decide," murmured Naoto under her breath, "if I can reasonably say that I have missed this, or not."


	3. Chapter Three: Perp

**Chapter Three: Perp**

Detective's Dojima and Yanase were seated side by side at Dojima's desk, watching the phones and doing their best not to fall asleep. Out of the corner of his eye, Dojima watched as Yanase started to yawn, looked guilty, and then tried to stifle it.

"You know you didn't have to stick around," he told her. "Nobody asked you to."

"Yes, sir," muttered Yanase.

"I mean…not that I guess there's much to do around here, even on Halloween night," he continued, frowning.

"No, sir," agreed Yanase.

"Still...no reason for you to force yourself to sit up all night," muttered Dojima. "If you want to go home, no one's going to stop you. I'll be fine."

"Yes, sir," sighed Yanase. She yawned again, and this time she didn't manage to catch herself in time to prevent it.

For a few moments, Dojima and Yanase at in companionable silence.

"Thanks," mumbled Dojima.

"Yes, sir," agreed Yanase. "You're welcome."

Mercifully, at that moment, the phone rang. Dojima and Yanase both grabbed for it, but Yanase jerked her hand back instantly and let Dojima take point. "Hello?" he asked, placing the receiver to his ear. "Inaba Police Department. Is this an emergency?"

A familiar, elderly voice on the other end of the line began prattling angrily. Dojima listened for several minutes, then muttered an affirmation and hung up the phone. He turned around in his chair to find Yanase watching him expectantly, her fingers drumming anxiously on the desktop.

"What is it?" she asked. "What happened? Is anyone hurt?"

Dojima sighed. "You know Daidara's antique place, in the shopping district?"

Yanase nodded. "The weapons shop. Yes. It's...what Togoshi would call an 'unexpected local treasure.'"

"Yeah?" Dojima raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "Anyway, sounds like Daidara fell asleep at the desk. When he woke up, some punk had spray painted big ugly green and yellow eyes all over the merchandise. Says all the 'art is staring at him' now. Wants me to come and do something about it."

Yanase relaxed slightly. In fact, she almost slumped back into her chair, but managed to straighten up just in time so as not to look too disappointed. "Ah," she said. "Is…is there anything we can actually do about that?"

"I doubt it," Dojima grabbed his jacket off the back of the chair. "Guess we'd better go and check it out anyway. Probably just one of the local kids being an asshole. The Daidaras should have locked up the place, or at least stayed awake. It's about time they hired somebody younger to help them out, just because it would probably keep shit like this from happening."

Yanase, too, got her coat, and obediently followed Dojima out of the station. "Why eyes?" she asked, as though got into Dojima's car and started driving off towards the shopping district.

"Why not?" countered Dojima.

They had just pulled up outside of Daidara's shop when Dojima thought he saw it. He could have sworn that he saw a figure in a dark coat moving around in the corner of his vision. Carefully, slowly, unobtrusively, he turned around and caught a glimpse of the back of a dark-haired, tousled head bobbing away down the street.

"Can't be," he breathed. "Nah. I'm imagining it."

"Sir?" asked Yanase. "What are you-?"

Temporarily abandoning the case at hand, Dojima darted off after the head of dark hair. Behind him, he heard Yanase quickening her steps to keep up. They followed the dark hair down the street a block or so, and then the head turned and Dojima saw a sliver of pale, sallow face in the moonlight. It was a face he recognized all too well, and it sent a combination of horrified thrill and excited shiver down his already night-chilled spine.

"Adachi," he hissed.

Yanase gasped. "Adachi? What? Where?"

Dojima looked around at her for a moment. "Just head of us," he growled. "This time, we've got him. He's all alone, and there are two of us. Ready?"

Yanase was frowning uncertainly. "I'm…I'm sorry, Dojima-san, but who are you talking about?"

"What? Are you blind? He's right-!" Dojima spun around again, only to find that the place where Adachi had just been was now empty. "Damnit," he snarled. "So close…but he's here, now I'm sure of it. We were wrong to start getting too comfortable. He is in Inaba after all."

"Uh, 'scuse me." Someone with dark shaggy hair and a black jacket suddenly appeared again in Dojima's vision, trying to cross right in front of him. Dojima reacted rapidly, shooting one arm out and grabbing the man firmly by the wrist. The man turned, startled and angry, and Dojima was disappointed to find that the person he was holding looked nothing like Adachi. Yes, he did have a pale face, and yes, he was wearing a black jacket, but the jacket was a part of what looked like some kind of elaborate vampire costume. Even the hair wasn't sitting properly on the head. It might, decided Dojima, have been a wig.

"What the hell, man?" demanded the vampire. "Get your hands off me, I ain't done nothing!"

"S-sorry," mumbled Dojima, preparing to release him. Before he had a chance, however, Yanase stepped forward and intercepted the man.

"Excuse me, sir," she said, using the unexpectedly firm and unyielding tone that Dojima had heard so often from Togoshi in moments of crisis. "This is a crime scene. Someone has been defacing property at Daidara-san's shop, and we're hoping to locate the perpetrator. Would you mind telling us if you've seen anyone suspicious hanging around in this area recently? Perhaps in the last two hours?"

"Wha-? Me? No, I haven't seen nothing. I just got here, lady. I'm on my way back from my buddy's place, okay? This ain't got nothing to do with me, so tell your boyfriend here to lay off."

As Dojima and Yanase both got out of the man's way, he wandered back off into the street, muttering to himself.

"He's out past curfew," murmured Yanase regretfully. "I could have used that…"

Dojima wasn't worried about curfews. _I don't know, _he thought unhappily. _Could have sworn it was Adachi…maybe I'm just making stuff up. I'm tired…_

"Let's go back to the station," said Yanase. "I'll make some coffee."

"Yeah," muttered Dojima. "Yeah, sure."


End file.
